1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to the field of wireless data communication utilizing at least two different wireless networks and, more specifically, this disclosure pertains to the field of providing access to wireless networks that use a security measure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some networks used for mobile device communications are facing increasing amounts of data traffic beyond available capacities. One possible remedy to this issue has been to offload and/or reroute data communications to existing WiFi hotspots where a mobile device could automatically detect a WiFi access point at a WiFi hotspot and connect to an available network. However, a WiFi access point can employ a security measure such as WiFi protected access (WPA) or wired equivalent privacy (WEP) to secure a wireless computer network provided by the WiFi access point. This creates an issue for a possible user of the wireless computer network, since the possible user may not readily have the encryption key (e.g., a string of characters) used in permitting a computing device to access the wireless computer network. For this and other reasons, using a security measure to secure the wireless computer network provided by the WiFi access point renders offloading and/or rerouting data communications (e.g. data communications of a cellular telephone network) to existing WiFi hotspots difficult, if not impossible.
While the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and detailed description thereto are not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the scope of an invention as defined by appended claims.